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Phillies' Tommy Hunter: Nails down fourth save

by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

Hunter pitched a perfect ninth inning Friday to record his fourth save of the season in a 4-3 win over the Mets.

The veteran reliever appears to be the closer du jour for the Phillies, picking up the team's last two saves since Pat Neshek blew a chance on Aug. 28. Hunter's 3.54 ERA and 44:11 K:BB through 56 innings on the season aren't particularly impressive, though, and his hold on the ninth-inning job is likely to be tenuous at best.

Hunter fell to 3-2 on the season after allowing the winning run in the eighth inning of Tuesday's loss to the Red Sox. He threw one inning, giving up a run on two hits, including one homer, while striking out one.

Hunter was called upon to keep the game tied in the eighth inning, facing Boston's eighth, ninth and leadoff hitters. In the end, it was the No. 9 slot that did the damage, with Brock Holt smacking a pinch-hit homer. Hunter hasn't been terrible by any means this season, but he hasn't been what the Phillies hoped for when they signed him to a two-year, $18 million contract in December. He's been used in the third-highest leverage situations among Phillies relievers this year, but his mediocre 4.00 ERA is fifth-best in the Phillies' bullpen, leaving him poorly positioned to move into a more significant role.

Hunter tossed a scoreless ninth inning, allowing one hit and striking out one as he notched the save Sunday against the Marlins.

Hunter gave up a two-out single, but he managed to secure his second save of the season by retiring the final batter of the ballgame. Since being tagged with the loss July 28 against Cincinnati, he's pieced together four scoreless innings, and he continues to be used in high-leverage situations. Hunter owns a 4.17 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with 35 strikeouts over 41 frames this season.

Hunter took his second blown save of the season after allowing one run on two hits Monday against the Dodgers, striking out a pair in two innings.

Hunter wasn't being asked to get the save, but blowing the lead in a close and late situation gives him a blown save nonetheless. He entered with a one-run lead in the seventh and couldn't keep the score that way, allowing Manny Machado to triple and score on a Max Muncy sacrifice fly. He stuck around in the eighth inning and managed to keep the score tied, giving him a respectable enough outing overall. Hunter's 4.50 ERA through 34 innings isn't particularly good for a late-inning reliever, but his underlying numbers (a 22.0 percent strikeout rate and a 4.7 percent walk rate) are solid. Assuming the Phillies trust that his results will eventually align with his performances, Hunter should remain in a high-leverage role and will be one of a small handful of candidates ready to step up should anything happen to top reliever Seranthony Dominguez.

Hunter got just one out and allowed a pair of runs on a pair of hits in Thursday's win over the Nationals.

Hunter entered the top of the ninth with a three-run lead and got into trouble right away. He allowed a single and a double to start the inning but was bailed out by Seranthony Dominguez after recording just one out. Hunter's ERA now sits at 5.09 for the season, not at all the result the Phillies were hoping for when they signed him to a two-year, $18-million contract this past offseason. His underlying numbers look fine, though, as his excellent 2.9 percent walk rate is more than enough to make up for a mediocre 20.2 percent strikeout rate, especially when combined with an above-average groundball rate (51.9 percent, a career high). Hunter's FIP stands at just 2.36, suggesting that with a little positive regression he could end up deserving his important role in the Phillies' bullpen.